Tff/rr 


Duke  University  Libraries 

Resolutions  ado 
Conf  Pam  #256 


[House.] 

HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES,  Feb.  6,  1865.— Ordered 
to  be  laid  on  the  table  and  printed. 

[Presented  by  Mr.  Simpson.] 


RESOLUTIONS 

Adopted  by  Brattons  Brigade^  South  Carolina    Volunteers 
January  30iA,  1865. 

At  a  mass-meeting  of  the  officers  .and  men  of  Bratton's  Brigade, 
South  Carolina  Volunteers,  held  this  day,  (January  .30th,  1865,) 
Private  John  B.  Erwin,  6th  S.  C.  Vols.,  was  called  to  the  chair,  and 
the  following  preamble  and  resolutions,  reported  by  a  committee 
of  two  from  each  regiment  of  the  Brigade,  were  unanimously 
adopted : 

Whereas,  The  people  of  the  several  States  of  this  Confederacy 
were  forced  into  the  present  struggle  to  preserve  the  inalienable 
rights  of  freemen  ;  and,  relying  upon  the  justice  of  their  cause  and 
the  approval  of  High  Heaven,  pledged  to  each  other  "  their  lives, 
their  fortunes,  and  their  sacred  honor,"  to  achieve  their  indepen- 
dence ;  and  whereas,  in  support  of  their  just  rights,  and  in  defence 
of  their  homes  and  firesides,  the  best  blood  of  our  people  has  been 
shed,  and  the  bones  of  our  dead  lie  scattered  throughout  every 
State  of  the  Confederacy,  whilst  at  every  stage  of  the  unequal  con- 
flict, the  valor,  endurance  and  patriotic  devotion  of  our  people  have 
secured  a  succession  of  victories  of  which  any  nation  might  well  be 
proud ;  and  whereas,  the  contest  is  still  undecided,  and  our  inde- 
pendence is  still  unachieved,  but  a  proud  and  haughty  foe,  flushed 
with  temporary  success,  is  attempting  to  extort  unworthy  terms  of 
submission  from  the  timid  counsels  and  the  causeless  despondency 
of  some  weak  minds  in  our  midst,  it  becomes  the  citizen  soldiery  of 
South  Carolina  to  re-affirm  the  sacred  principles  of  State  Sover- 
eignty and  Independence,  which  their  State  was  the  first  to  an- 
nounce ;  to  reject  once  again  all  terms  of  union  and  affiliation  with 
a  base  and  unprincipled  foe ;  to  rebuke  tl||^  time  serving  policy  of 
those  who,  having  counted  the  cost,  are  unequal  to  the  exigencies  of 
the  crisis,  and  who  arc  so  insensible  to  the  great  principles  which 
form  the  ground-work  of  the  present  revolution,  so  unmindful  of 
the  glorious  recollections  of  the  past  history,  and  so  regardless  of. 
the  memory  of  its  illustrious  dead,  as  to  counsel  an  unworthy  sub- 
mission to  the  enemy,  and  a  base  abandonment  of  our  cause ;  and, 


above  all,  to  assure  the  true  friends  of  liberty  at  home,  and  our  fel- 
low-soldiers in  the  army,  that  we  have  never  yet  "  despaired  of  the 
Republic,"  but  that,  inspired  by  the  memories  of  the  past,  w^e  enter- 
tain briirht  hopes  of  the  future,  and  believe  that  one  more  deter- 
mined effort  is  alone  necessary  to  achieve  our  independence:  Be  it, 
therefore, 

Resolved,  That  we  do  this  day  renew  our  devotion  to  the  great 
principles  of  State  Sovereignty  and  Constitutional  Liberty,  which 
lie  at  the  base  of  this  Revohiticm ;  that  we  again  endorse  the  act  of 
Secession  wliich  separatid  us  from  a  hated  foe  ;  and  that  with  the 
aid  of  Heaven,  we  will  continue  the  struggle  until  our  independence 
be  achieved  or  we  perish  in  the  attempt. 

Resolved,  That  every  consideration  of  honor,  of  duty,  and  of 
patriotism,  impel  us  to  preserve  the  rich  heritage  of  freedom  which 
we  have  received  from  our  ancestors ;  to  emulate  the  valor,  the  en- 
durance and  heroic  devotion  of  those  who  have  fallen  in  the  present 
struggle,  and  to  restrain  us  from  abandoning  a  cause  which  has  been 
consecrated  by  so  many  costly  sacrifices,  and  crowned  by  so  many 
illustrious  victories. 

Resolved,  That  we  owe  it  to  the  glorious  recollections  of  the  past, 
to  the  memory  of  our  martyred  dead ;  we  owe  it  to  ourselves,  to 
the  cause  of  human  progress,  to  preserve  our  institutions  from  de- 
struction, our  homes  from  spoliation,  and  the  tombs  of  our  slain 
from  desecration,  and  our  names  and  memories  from  being  a  by- 
word and  reproach  among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  by  mutually 
working  out  our  independence. 

Resolved,  That  tlie  outrages  upon  us  by  a  base  and  unprincipled 
foe,  in  violation  of  all  the  usages  of  civilized  warfare,  have  created 
an  impassable  gulf  between  tiie  two  sections,  which  must  forever 
prevent  all  union  or  affiliation  between  tliem,  whilst  the  settled 
policy  and  avowed  principles  of  the  Northern  Government  lead  us 
to  expect,  that  no  concessions  on  our  part  would  be  accepted  by 
them  short  of  a  state  of  complete  subjection,  Avhich  would  be  worse 
than  death. 

Resolvcil,  That  in  the  late  reverses  which  have  attended  our  arms, 
we  see  nothing  which  shoidd  obscure  the  light  of  our  former  glori- 
ous victories,  which  should  create  a  feeling  of  despondency  or  cloubt 
of  the  ultimate  success  of  our  cause,  but  should  rather  nerve  the 
hearts  and  strengthen  the  hands  of  our  people  to  renewed  efforts  in 
the  sacred  cause  of  Independence. 

Resolved,  That  the  uncomplaining  patience,  inflexible  firmness, 
and  distinguished  ability  with  which  President  Davis  has  discharged 
the  weighty  and  delicate  duties  of  his  office,  challenges  the  confi- 
dence of  our  people,  an4  we' beg  leave  to  assure  him  of  our  esteem 
and  confidence ;  and  that  for  General  Robert  E.  Lee,  the  great 
Captain  of  this  age,  we  have  a  regard  little  less  than  veneration, 
and  will  gladly  go  wherever  he  mny  direct  us. 

Resolved,  That  we  assure  the  lovely  women  of  the  South  that  we 
can  never  forget  their  sympathy.  Their  approbation  is  next  to  that 
of  Heaven.     As    soldiers   in   war,    or  freemen    in    peace,   we   will 


always  be  pioud  to  meet  them.  Let  them  continue  to  animate  us 
with  the  spirit  of  faith  and  devotion  ;  and  above  all,  let  them  pray 
without  ceasing  that  the  God  of  our  Fathers  may  crown  our  arms 
with  victory,  and  they  shall  see  the  "Southern  Cross"  floating 
proudly  over  a  free  and  glorious  land. 

Resolved,  That  ihe  Secretary  of  this  meeting  furnish  a  copy  of 
the  proceedings  and  resolutions  to  one  of  the  Richmond  papers; 
to  the  Columbia  (South  Carolina)  papers;  to  the  delegation  in  Con- 
gress; to  the  Governor  of  South  Carolina,  anil  to  President  Davis. 

JOHN  B.  ERWIN,  Chah-man. 
J.    C.   J.   WaRDLAW,  Sccretartj. 


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